Bright Spiritual Journey

No doubt, this is not a climbing exercise, but the spiritual journey of uplifting! Notably we are doing this together... in Ramadan. This is one of the wisdoms of Ramadan, as I think, to give people the feeling of “togetherness” and “belonginess” as in any other rituals in Islam... Allah SWT knew what people life will turn to one day. This is one of the major thing that brought West down far before this last financial turmoil. It just took some time to appear on the surface. People stopped to trust each other, they do not do things together, they do things individually and the individualism is praised.

However, there is nothing more beautiful than cooperation of people trying to achieve some higher states for their own spirits and the societal life as whole. This idea runs through the entire teachings of Islam—which is not merely a religion, it is the way of life—to make human being humble. There is individual responsibility, but collective well being! Everyone is khalifah as everyone has his/her share in everything what is happening. The realization how that share is relatively small in comparison with the integral results—this is what brings humbleness to a conscious human being, but also motivation to increase it, to do something good for the well being of “whole” at the end. I am happy to see this among those people with whom I have happiness to study in GSM, both among staff and students. We do make things together Alhamdu li-Llah! Somebody brings the idea and then all around hurry to support and to make it HAPPEN. This is why the official motto of DBA was always “together we make impossible things possible”.  

The phrase “mountain climbers always help each other” belongs to Zig Ziglar and reflects the same spirit. Mountain climbers help each other because they know their entire lives depend on each other... unfortunately only in some extreme situations this appears to human race clearly :(, but it is in every life situation. And then... where do mountain climbers aim? They do near impossible to them—achieve new heights. There is a great wisdom behind this metaphor. 

This Quran co-journey through the Ramadan is like that too... no one denies the spirituality of it. Together we climb higher and what is easier to do when you climb higher?! To see things around... so for every climber the spiritual experience is very different. I could not say better than “a pleasurable journey of self discovery laden with serene nuance of existence, purpose and life”! We do not know which views are revealed to our journey companions even though they are walking next to us as that is between them and Allah!

More than one thousand four hundred years ago one mountain climber was sitting in a cave on the mount Hirrah. He found there his serene place to contemplate about this world. From there he could observe Qaabah and how his own kin were worshiping idols in it... he was crying and supplicating to Allah from there about mercy to the human race :(... and this was Mount of Hirrah where angel Jibril AS came to the Prophet SAW with the first ayat “Iqrah” by bringing this mercy to the worlds... and this was month of Ramadan... and this is what we do one thousand four hundred years later, together... performing this spiritual climb!

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Prophet Muhammad [Peace Be Upon Him] said, "Whoever reads one harf (letter) of the Qur'an shall receive a good deed and ten good deeds similar to it. I do not say that Alif Laam Meem is a harf, but Alif is a harf, Laam is a harf and Meem is a harf." [Saheeh; Recorded by at-Tirmidhee (no. 2912)]

But in Ramadan ALL good deeds are multiplied by 70 or more... The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887)

Each letter of Qur'an rewarded 700 good deeds or more.... So for each letter of the Qur’an we recite we will gain a minimum of 700 good deeds or more. The greater our intentions and the more sincere we are then our rewards will be multiplied even more!
 
But for those who struggle with reciting the Qur'an they will recieve double the reward of a minimum of 1400 good deeds for each letter... Aa’ishah (RA), relates that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:
Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet's Sermon About Ramadan

The Sermon Given By The Prophet (s) On The Last Friday Of Sha'ban On The Reception Of The Month of Ramadan.

"O People ! Indeed ahead of you is the blessed month of Allah. A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which with Allah is the best of months. Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours, the best of hours. It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered. So, ask Allah, your Lord; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may be able to fast and recite his book, for only he is unhappy who is devoid of Allah's forgiveness during this great month. Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgment) with your hunger and thirst; give alms to the needy and poor, honor your old, show kindness to the young ones, maintain relations with your blood relations; guard your tongues, close your eyes to that which is not permissible for your sight, close your ears to that which is forbidden to hear, show compassion to the orphans of people so compassion may be shown to your orphans. Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands in dua during these times, for they are the best of times and Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them during the hours and granting their needs if he is asked ...

"O People! Indeed your souls are dependant on your deeds, free it with Istighfar (repentance) lighten its loads by long prostrations; and know that Allah swears by his might: That there is no punishment for the one who prays and prostrates and he shall have no fear of the fire on the day when man stands before the Lord of the worlds.

"O People! One who gives Iftaar to a fasting person during this month will be like one who has freed someone and his past sins will be forgiven. Some of the people who were there then asked the Prophet (s): "Not all of us are able to invite those who are fasting?"

The Prophet (s) replied: "Allah gives this reward even if the Iftaar (meal) is a drink of water." "One who has good morals (Akhlaq) during this month will be able to pass the 'Siraat' ... on the day that feet will slip ... "One who covers the faults of others will benefit in that Allah will curb His anger on the day of Judgment ...
 

"As for one who honors an orphan; Allah will honor him on the day of judgment, "And for the one who spreads his kindness, Allah will spread His mercy over him on the day of Judgment. "As for the one who cuts the ties of relation; Allah will cut His mercy from him ... "Who so ever performs a recommended prayer in this month Allah will keep the fire of Hell away from him ... "Whoever performs an obligator prayer Allah will reward him with seventy prayers [worth] in this month. "And who so ever prays a lot during this month will have his load lightened on the day of measure. "He who recites one verse of the Holy Quran will be given the rewards of reciting the whole Quran during other months. "O People! Indeed during this month the doors of heaven are open, therefore ask Allah not to close them for you; The doors of hell are closed, so ask Allah to keep them closed for you. During this month Shaytan (Satan) is imprisoned so ask your Lord not to let him have power over you."

Ma Sha Allah Tabarak Allah